


No other man

by Pegship



Series: Castle Episodic [7]
Category: Castle
Genre: Episode: s04e23 Always, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-18
Updated: 2014-02-18
Packaged: 2018-01-12 23:42:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1204870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pegship/pseuds/Pegship
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything had been stripped away, her cause, her logic, even the profession that she'd followed like a holy crusade. She felt no anger, despair, but no hope, either. There was nothing left in her but truth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No other man

**Author's Note:**

> Kate's thoughts as she lets her guard down at the end of "Always" (thus, spoilers).

In the split second between her back slamming the door shut and his mouth connecting with hers, Kate knew that this would be like no other night of her life, no other man, no other desire.

 

There'd been passion, lust, affection, even love, with others. She'd done things with others that are illegal, risky, downright dangerous, or just plain stupid, and she'd declined a chance to do other things just as risky. She'd made love and screwed and had casual sex, rough and smooth, one night stands and long term relationships.

 

Tom was easygoing, enthusiastic in bed, willing to keep things casual and not to push for anything more than Kate was ready to do or give. If she'd searched her soul a little more closely at the time, she might have admitted to herself that she and Tom wouldn't have lasted much longer even without the shadow of Richard Castle constantly floating through her mind. She didn't know why, then, just that with Tom, things seemed almost *too* easy.

 

Ridiculous. Since when does anyone seek out difficult relationships?

 

Josh was brilliant, athletic, and game for anything, reviving the heat and ingenuity of her college days and nights, marathon make-outs, playing with bondage, not to mention sex positions that defied gravity and occasionally left bruises. He went all-out at everything he did, including Kate, and that made him a better surgeon, a better doctor. And that led him away, literally, while Kate's feet were planted firmly in New York roots.

 

In the end, it was Castle, only Castle, she could imagine doing this with. This - standing up to face her, defy her, convince her over the years, and still listening, forgiving, acquiescing, still there. Like he'd said, four years, he'd been right here. They'd put each other through hell and forged a partnership the likes of which she'd only ever had with a few of her closest friends.

 

It had taken her too long to admit to herself that there was a step she hadn't taken. A step Rick had taken toward her, which she'd countered with stubborn silence.

 

He'd saved her the trouble of making up her mind, eventually, the day before.

 

"You’re right, Kate. It’s your life. You can throw it away if you want, but I’m not going to stick around and watch you, so this is … over. I’m done."

 

The defeat in his voice was echoed in the sullen disbelief when he'd opened his door to find her standing there, soaking wet.

 

"Beckett, what do you want?"

 

Everything had been stripped away, her cause, her logic, even the profession that she'd followed like a holy crusade. She felt no anger, despair, but no hope, either. There was nothing left in her but truth.

 

"You," she said, and swept inside before he could shut her out, pulled his mouth to hers before he could deny her. Even when he held her at arm's length, she could only look steadily up at him as if awaiting a verdict, and when the lightning flashed she had her answer.

 

She opened her arms, her eyes, her lips, her heart, and let him in, all the way.


End file.
